Ask Nereda First
157 Garafraxa Street South N0G 1R0 Durham, ON, Canada

Need a little inspiration for some spring-themed activities? Check out this great list of suggestions. From mud pies, to Easter decorations, to starting a nature journal, there's sure to be something fun for you and your family to try! https://rhythmsofplay.com/spring-bucket-list-seasonal-acti/

It may seem hard to believe, but we finally made it to the first day of SPRING! Here's to longer days, warmer weather, less snow, time in the gardens, and all the other great things that spring brings!

Do you have a home ownership goal? Making a plan is the first step towards making it happen. In this #BecauseWeAsked Story I share how clients came to me with a goal and we made it happen after consolidating debt and following a one year plan. I'd love to help you come up with a plan to make your goals happen.

I am very grateful to see lots of new faces on my page! So, I thought I would share a few things about myself this week! 1. I was born in Richmond Hill, ON and raised in Grey County from the time I was 7 years of age. Before that we were in Woodbridge & Markham and it still seems unreal to me. LOL 2. I have traveled to Costa Rica, Hawaii, Jamaica, and Mexico all thanks to my direct sales past! 3. I have 7 beautiful babies - they are 6-23 years old, but they are still my ba...bies! 4. I'm a GRANDMA to one very special 18 month old! 5. Most of the summer you will find me home on our farm, helping to get crops off the fields. 6. I originally started in the mortgage industry as an assistant. Prior to this I was at home for quite a few years, after a 10-plus year career in real estate. 7. I love old country music & so do our kids. The little kids can be heard saying "Dad, Ring of Fire is number 6 on the CD." Johnny Cash is a must in our home. 8. I get up every day looking forward to my work and that makes me feel like I've hit the jackpot. 9. I have some really great friends and being a great friend back to those people is important to me. 10. My favourite quote is "Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person." Your turn! I want to hear about you! (Thanks to Jennifer Hibberd Photography for the awesome new photos!)

Today's term is appraisal. Very often, when purchasing a home or refinancing, you will be required to get an appraisal of the property. An appraisal is simply an estimate of the current market value of a home.

Did you see the news? We've launched the Giving Thanks for #GreyBruceSpirit Contest! We want to see your favourite #GreyBruceSpirit spots and people! Check out yesterday's post for more details, and visit https://www.askneredafirst.com/greybrucespiritcontest for all info on how to enter.... Please note: This contest is in no way sponsored, monitored or linked to Facebook. It is solely the responsibility of me, Nereda Manion - The Mortgage Centre - Hometown Financial.

Have you entered yet? It's the final week for the Ask Nereda First Calendar Photo Contest. The deadline for entries is Saturday, October 31st. This is your chance to share your favourite Southern Ontario scenery with everyone else. Did a particular sunset take your breath away? Do you have an amazing spot in the forest where the ferns grew just perfectly? Did you take advantage of that last snowfall early in the year to capture a stunning winter vista? Send in your entry! Winners will receive copies of the calendar and a $50 VISA gift card! For full contest rules and details, please visit https://www.askneredafirst.com/calendar-contest. Pictures taken in 2020 are eligible for the contest.

If you're looking for a simple activity to do with the kids, and a way to get them out of the house for some exercise, go for a walk in your neighbourhood or take advantage of one of our many local trail systems. Collect leaves as you go. When you get home, look at the leaves and see how many different types of leaves you can identify. See if you can figure out which ones are native. It's a great way to broaden your knowledge about how many different types of trees there are, and the vast size differences between leaves!

The Bank of Canada meets tomorrow to announce any changes to the overnight rate. The overnight rate is the interest rate at which major financial institutions borrow and lend one day funds amongst themselves. Changes for the target of this rate can also influence other interest rates, such as consumer loans and mortgages, and may affect the exchange rate as well. While we are not expecting any big changes, we will update you tomorrow.

Riverside Park in Durham holds so many memories for me and is a beautiful place to visit. It's too bad about the vandalism on the walkway (I didn't notice until after the video), but don't let that deter you from enjoying this wonderful area. #greybrucespirit

The Ornament for Mental Health Campaign is in full swing and I'm so thankful for the orders you have sent in already! These incredible ornaments sell for $25 each and all the profits, $10 per bulb, will be donated to two amazing mental health organizations: FAN Club (Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce) and A Friendly Voice. Residents in long-term care homes have certainly had a difficult time this year and I'm hoping to spread a little cheer to them through this c...ampaign. If you buy an ornament to donate to residents at Rockwood Terrace or Green Gables, I will donate a stand for each ornament so these can be on display throughout the year and remind some special people how much they are cared for. If you’d like to order an ornament, support these wonderful organizations, and learn more about why mental health is so important to me, please visit https://www.askneredafirst.com/ornament-for-mental-health.

It's our last week of the Giving Thanks for #GreyBruceSpirit Contest! This weekend Christina Wood from Kountry Kreations was in to create this wall art for my office. I'm in love with this stunning addition that really stands out on what was an otherwise plain wall. There's not much time left to get your entries in for the chance to win $500 cash , or amazing gift baskets full of goods and gift cards from local businesses. It's as simple as sharing a picture and using the #GreyBruceSpirit hashtag in your caption.

Did you know that lenders will want to see a 90-day history of your bank account to show where the down payment funds are coming from? This is one way they try to prevent fraud. It's important to not move money between accounts or have large lump sums showing up that can't be explained. When that happens, I'll have to get more bank statements from you to show where the money came from. As you're saving money for your down payment it's always best to keep it in one account when possible.

Have you entered yet? There's still time to get in on our Ask Nereda First Calendar Photo Contest! We are looking for calendar worthy Ontario photos taken this year. Maybe you grew a gorgeous garden, savoured a beautiful sunset at the beach or enjoyed the beautiful fall colours this year, we want to see your photos. In addition to bragging rights, you could win a $50 VISA gift card! Contest closes October 31st. For details and how to enter, visit https://www.askneredafirst.com/calendar-contest Photos work best if taken horizontally (landscape oriented) and your camera is set to high resolution. Photos taken in 2020 are eligible.

One of Anne's first memories of experiencing #GreyBruceSpirit was about 15 years ago. "My husband and I had purchased a print at St. Jacob's market some years before, but had never gotten it framed. I decided to have it done for Christmas, as a gift to my husband, and had taken it to Auki Vandervrie (owner of The Colour Jar at that time) to be framed. Money was tight, and expenses were high. Some expected income failed to materialize, and I went to Auki to tell him that I wou...ld not be able to pay for and pick up the picture until January. He looked at me and said, 'this is a Christmas gift though, is it not?' I told him it was, but I simply was not able to pay for it at that time. He insisted that I take it home with me regardless, as Christmas was a matter of a couple of days away. "Pay me when you're able to." At that point, I had only met Auki twice. His generosity and trust in a stranger brought me to tears. I will never forget what Auki did for me. There are other stories, of course, but this one stands out." GreyBruceSpirit has touched so many people. We'd love to hear what #GreyBruceSpirit means to you!

Only one more week! Time is flying by, but you've still got just enough time to enter our Ask Nereda First Calendar Photo Contest. We are looking for the best photos to grace our calendar, and yours could be in it. Photos must be taken in 2020 and horizontally oriented to qualify. High resolution photos (most cell phones will take these) work best. What's in it for you? Aside from bragging rights from having your photo featured in a calendar, you could win a $50 VISA gift card! For full contest details, and how to enter, visit https://askneredafirst.com/calendar-contest.

It's Terminology Tuesday! Credit Score: The digits that make up your credit score tell a lender a lot about your credit history and ultimately the status of your financial health.

Looking at the weather tonight and tomorrow, it might be a good time for some indoor activities. How about some family time working on a puzzle? From jigsaws to brainteasers, crosswords and so much more, puzzles come in all sorts of ability levels and variations. They are a great way to build many skills, and can be so much fun. Grab some snacks and your favourite puzzle, and you're all set!

Yes, you need a financing condition when you offer on a house, even if you've been through the pre-approval process. Why? When we go through the pre-approval process I'm giving you a range of what you can afford given your situation. However, it's not just you that has to qualify for financing from a lender, the PROPERTY does to. If a lender or insurer has problems with the house they won't approve financing. That means that if you don't have a financing condition in your offer, you could be stuck in a contract to buy a house and not have the funds to do it. That's a scary situation to be in. ALWAYS have a financing condition.

We are so thankful for our clients, who have entrusted us to be a part of some of the biggest events of their lives. We are blessed to be a part of your journey. What are you thankful for?

Have you entered the Giving Thanks for #GreyBruceSpirit Contest yet? It's SO easy! Watch this video to see just how simple it is and get your entries in for a chance to win big.